The Junk! Washing Up

Every tide brings in a new wave of debris — plastic bottles, balloon strings, fishing line, bottle caps, and pieces of broken-down plastic. To people, it’s trash. To marine life, it’s danger.

Sea turtles often mistake plastic bags and fragments for food. Fishing line can wrap around their flippers, causing injuries or preventing them from swimming and feeding.

Whales face life-threatening entanglement. Lost ropes and fishing gear drifting offshore can trap them for months, making it difficult to swim, eat, or surface for air.

Shorebirds pick at colorful bits of plastic, filling their stomachs with debris instead of nourishment, and even passing those pieces to their chicks.

Plastic Pollution: A Growing Threat to Sea Turtles and Our Ocean

Plastic pollution poses a serious threat to sea turtles and the health of our environment. Each morning, the tide delivers a new wave of marine debris—balloons, bags, fishing gear, and other trash. 

Sea turtles often mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish, one of their natural food sources. Ingesting plastic can lead to internal injuries, starvation, and even death.